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(ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. F. FERGUSON. GATAMENIAL SACK.

No. 474,378. Patented May 10, 1892.

I 3 27/2683 Q w ew figi WWW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANNAH F. FERGUSON, OF FORT ERIE, CANADA.

CATAM EN IAL SAC K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,378, dated May 10,1892.

Application filed Augn'st 3,1891. Serial No. 401,569- (MocleL)Patentedin Canada March 20, 1890, No. 33,968.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, HANNAH FVFERGUSON, a citizen of Canada, residing atFort Erie, in the county of IVelland and Province of Ontario, Canada,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catamenial Sacks,(for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Canada, dated March20,1890, No. 33,968;) and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention has relation to improvements in catamenial sacks,designed more especially to be worn by women during the period ofmenstruation; and the novelty will be fully understood from thefollowing description and claims when taken in connection with theannexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a portion of a womansbody, showing the application thereto of my improved device. Fig.2isaperspective view of the sack removed from the body, showing therelative positions which the parts assume when applied. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation, which is given to represent the shape of the sack and themanner and arrangement of the supporting-straps; and Fig. 4 is acrosssectional view of the sack, taken in the plane indicated by thedotted line m w on Fig. 3.

A desideratum in this class of devices has been to provide a sack whichwill have a tendency to remain inan open position while in use, as it iswell known by those who use such devices that the limbs have a naturaltendency to close the sack and consequently impair its usefulness inholding a pledget or absorbent in proper position with respect to thecavity or vagina and receive the menstrual fluid as discharged.Heretofore several attempts have been made to accomplish this object;but such devices as constructed have been rendered complicated by theemployment of side loops to pass around the thighs or trunk, as well asclumsy harness for holding the sack suspended, and such devices are,furthermore, objectionable, inasmuch as the sack, in order to befrequently washed or cleansed, must be readily detachable from thesupporting parts. B y the construction which I have illustrated andwhich I shall presently describe in detail I have an article which ,whenin use will allow perfect freedom of the body without any discomfort orunpleasant feeling, such as experienced when limb-straps are employed.The sack,being of rubber or elastic material, will give to the movementsof the limbs, and it is detachably connected to the supporting parts, sothat it may be readily removed and after washing quickly attached to thesupporting-straps.

In carrying out my invention I take two approximately gore-shaped piecescl, of soft thin rubber or other suitably-impervious ma terial, andsecure them together at their longitudinal curved edges by a row ofstitches e or otherwise, so as to firmly unite the same. I then bind thelongitudinal, straight, or upper edges with protecting-strips a, ofsimilar material, although thin oil-cloth or other yielding and washablematerial might be used. I then bind the transverse edges of the sackwith strips of chamois-skin B, after which I provide each corner or endof the strips B with short strips of webbing or elastic material C,carrying buckles b at their upper or outer ends. By this construction Ihave a sack which while in use will remain open at its central portion,and bybeing elastic will give an upward pressure to the parts, therebyaffording a feeling of support and comfort.

E indicates the waistband, which is provided with the usual buckle, asshown.

D indicates the supporting-straps, there being four employed andconnected, respectively, at their lower ends to the four short straps O,which latter are preferably elastic. These straps are secured to thewaistband at a point to come just over the hips on opposite sides of thebody, so as to form two front and two rear supporting-straps.

As better shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the front straps D pass downfrom a point above the hips in an oblique or diagonal manner across theabdomen, so as to keep the front strip B of the sack in a stretched orextended manner, and consequently the adjacent end of the sack as wellopen as the po sition of the limbs will allow. The rear straps, whichare also secured to the waistband at a point above the hips, pass downin the rear of the body and, connecting with the strip B, hold theopposite end of the sack open as much as the limbs will allow. I attachimportance to this arrangement of the supporting-straps and the factthat thigh or limb straps are dispensed with, as such straps have beenfound both uncomfortable and objectionable for many reasons.

In use the waistband is first buckled around the body, bringing thebuckle directly in front. The sack should then be attached to either thefront or back straps, and after placing a sponge or other absorbent inthe sack the remaining straps should be buckled so as to fit closely tothe body.

When the sack has become soiled, it may be disconnected from thesupporting-straps and washed the same as a piece of rubber or the like.

\Vhile I have described the sack as being composed of two gore-shapedpieces of rubber, yet I do not wish to confine myself to making it inthis manner, as the sack may, if found desirable, be made from a singlepiece of material.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a catamenial sack comprising awaistband, the sack or bag of rubber or yielding material, thenon-elastic strips secured to the opposite ends of the sack, the shortstraps secured to said strips and carrying buckles, and thesupporting-straps secured at their upper ends to the Waistband at apoint above the hips and their opposite ends secured to saidbuckle-straps, substantially as specified.

2. The sack composed of two approximately gore-shaped pieces, thinrubber united together at their curvededges, the strips B, secured tothe opposite transverse ends of the sack, and the binding a on the upperlongitudinal edges, in combination with a waistband and straps foradjustably connecting said sack to the band, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HANNAH F. FERGUSON.

Witnesses.- I

OTTELIA DOSSENBOCH, JOHN W. INGRAM.

